New milestones reached on $2.16bn Coomera Connector Stage 1 project

The first stage of the Coomera Connector has reached new project milestones as construction progresses on Queensland’s second M1. 

Coomera Connector Stage 1 from Coomera to Nerang is being delivered in three packages: 

• Stage 1 North – Shipper Drive, Coomera to Helensvale Road, Helensvale 
• Stage 1 Central – Helensvale Road, Helensvale to Smith Street Motorway, Molendinar 
• Stage 1 South – Smith Street Motorway, Molendinar to Nerang-Broadbeach Road, Nerang 

The Stage 1 North package is nearing the one-year mark since construction commenced. To date, the project team has completed more than 80 per cent of piling works on the new almost 1-kilometre-long Coomera River bridge and the Coomera overflow bridge, with 16 of about 500 girders already installed on the new Coomera River bridge. 

Extensive ground improvement works have also started, including the installation of around 3,500 controlled modulus columns across the project route, which will stabilise and reinforce the ground. 

Moreover, more than two kilometres of new drainage infrastructure have also been installed and over 2,000 workers have been inducted to the construction site. Works to upgrade Coomera Link Road – Shipper Drive and Foxwell Road – are now underway as well. 

“It’s one year in for this incredibly important project and I am so pleased to see this wonderful new motorway taking shape. 

“This project is vital to the region’s future and is one of the largest infrastructure projects we have underway,” Transport and Main Roads Minister Bart Mellish said. 

Key features of the Stage 1 North package include: 

• 4 lanes with provision for future widening into the centre media to 6 lanes. Bridges will be future proofed to 6 lanes to help minimise future construction impacts to adjacent residents and the travelling public 
• Grade separated interchanges at Shipper Drive and Helensvale Road 
• An almost 1-kilometre-long bridge over the Coomera River and Saltwater Creek 
• Open graded asphalt road surface for increased safety and reduced noise 
• 4.19-kilometre of shared bike and pedestrian path with local path network connections at Shipper Drive, McPhail Road, future Hope Island Station/Hope Island Road, Condamine Crescent, Monterey Keys Drive, Rosewood Court Reserve and Helensvale Road 
• Upgrades to a section of Foxwell Road and a section of Shipper Drive – known as the Coomera Link Road 

“It’s exciting to see another milestone achieved on a project that will cut travel time and keep hundreds of thousands of Gold Coasters moving. 

“It has created hundreds of jobs and will make it easier, faster, and more convenient for people living and working across our city,” Member for Gaven Meaghan Scanlon said. 

Coomera Connector Stage 1 corridor (source: Department of Transport and Main Roads)

Meanwhile, design details for the Stage 1 Central package have been revealed and the community is now being encouraged to have their say. 

The design highlights the detailed layout of the 8-kilometre, six-lane section of the Coomera Connector from Helensvale Road to Smith Street Motorway. 

“The Coomera Connector is a game-changer for South-East Queenslanders – it means less time stuck in traffic and more time with your loved ones. 

“We know that road congestion is a significant issue for the region – and a drain on the economy – which is why we’re getting on with delivering this critical piece of infrastructure,” Federal Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government Minister Catherine King said. 

The central section of the Coomera Connector will also include: 

• Grade separated interchanges at Helensvale Road, Gold Coast Highway and Smith Street Motorway 
• More than 8 kilometres of shared bike and pedestrian path connecting with local communities and the Helensvale and Parkwood light rail stations 
• Wildlife corridors for Careel Reserve and Coombabah Creek 
• Open graded asphalt road surface for increased safety and reduced noise 

Stage 1 Central map (source: Queensland Government)

Community feedback from the previous public consultation in 2020 resulted in design improvements and changes to the reference design as well as changes from project planning and technical investigations. 

Community consultation sessions will be held this month where interested parties can provide their feedback, find out more about the project or register for project updates. More information on the community sessions can be found on the project website. 

In November 2023, the design for Stage 1 South was released for public consultation. You can read more about it here. 

“With construction on Stage 1 well underway, momentum is building for the delivery of one of Queensland’s largest transport infrastructure projects. 

“The Coomera Connector is a major project in the Miles Government’s commitment to Building Queensland by investing in infrastructure that supports more jobs, builds resilience and underpins future prosperity for Queenslanders,” Minister Mellish said. 

“I made an election commitment to build the second M1 and this massive project will ease congestion for our growing city. 

“This is a project that will cut travel time and keep hundreds of thousands of Gold Coasters moving,” Ms Scanlon said. 

The $2.16 billion Coomera Connector Stage 1 between Coomera and Nerang is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland Governments on a 50:50 basis., and this project is estimated to support an average of 1,000 direct jobs. 

Stage 1 will progressively open to traffic from late 2025, weather and site conditions permitting. 

The overall 45-kilometre Coomera Connector is set to become a new north-south motorway between Logan and the Gold Coast that will help relieve congestion on the M1 by providing an alternative route for local journeys. 

“This $2.16 billion jointly funded project is yet another example of what the Australian and Queensland governments can achieve together to deliver for Gold Coast residents and for Queenslanders. 

“The Coomera Connector will be critical in easing traffic congestion between the Gold Coast and Logan, and enable locals to make shorter and easier trips, avoiding the M1 altogether,” Senator for Queensland Murray Watt said. 

Source: Queensland Government – Media Statements (1, 2); Queensland Government – Department of Transport and Main Roads; Infrastructure Magazine